WITH the sound of Grant Irvine’s whistle finally putting an end to the Dundee United sacking of St Johnstone’s goal, Ryan Edwards did all he could do and made a beeline for Zander Clark. 

Embracing the Saints hero, the pair shared a smile and a laugh as the United man expressed his disbelief at what he’d just seen. As did we all. This had been one of the great goalkeeping displays at Tannadice, each save better than the last as Clark almost single handedly held off a late Tangerine onslaught. 

Ali Crawford’s goal - his second in two visits to the city of discovery this season - had opened the scoring and the Saints had doggedly defended their lead from there. But make no mistake, this became Clark against 11 and he’d earned the adulation just as much from those in orange as in blue by the end. 

The Herald: Crawford's fine goal was the difference Crawford's fine goal was the difference

“Zander was outstanding, some of the saves were phenomenal,” said his manager, Callum Davidson. “He has been like that since I’ve been here. 

“All credit to him because he didn’t let his head go down when he didn’t get back in the Scotland squad.”

Short of winning the treble it was always going to be hard to improve on last year’s fine showing but it’s taken longer than the Saints would have wanted to rediscover their stride. For an hour, they showed again they have gone up in all areas. 

The midfield trio of Craig Bryson, Cammy MacPherson and Ali Crawford was too clever for Jeando Fuchs and Ian Harkes, the United pairing, so impressive this term, a shadow of their usual selves, even if they began to click through the gears as United’ desperation rose. 

Davidson’s men attacked quicker, the wingers, Michael O’Halloran and Glenn Middleton, injecting that brand of unpredictability both do so well. When it’s good, it’s good. When it’s bad, it ends with O’Halloran ballooning a golden opportunity into the stand. And when they had to rely on their goalkeeper Clark kept his side of the bargain, a string of stunning saves from Ryan Edwards and then Peter Pawlett the pick of the bunch. 

With the home fans in fine voice amid the tributes for Walter Smith the script seem to have been written for Tam Courts’ men to grab the Tayside Derby by the scruff of the neck, only for the guests to have other ideas. 

Within minutes they had twice forced United’s stunned rearguard to hack the ball behind for a corner and on both occasions the Saints nearly made the most of the panic. Chris Kane’s front post flick brushed the side of Benjamin Siegrist’s goal before O’Halloran, of course, sliced wide when cleverly teed-up on the edge of the box. 

It was a warning sign the hosts did not heed, not that they could say they hadn’t had enough of them. Whenever the ball found its way to O’Halloran or Middleton with green space ahead of them, off they darted, sounding the horn on the St Johnstone attack. 

Kerr Smith, still just 16 and with all the potential in the world, was having a particularly tricky start to proceedings, given the unenviable task of grabbing onto Middleton’s coattails. 

But when St Johnstone’s deserved opening goal finally arrived it was one of the old reliable who was left holding his hands up. There seemed little danger when the ball was played to Fuchs 30 yards from his own goal but the midfielder dallied and the Saints smelled blood. 

MacPherson pounced to nick it off his toes and into Crawford’s path but from there it was all down to the former Hamilton Accies man. With blue men bursting a gut either side of him, he steadied himself, picked his spot, and curled a stunning effort beyond Siegrist. The delirium from the away fans poured onto the pitch. 

For United, it just had to be better after the break, Edwards’ header, pushed over the bar by Clark, their only attack of note. They just seemed to lack the spark of their recent winning run but maybe, given they’d squeezed by Motherwell last weekend and drawn away to Livingston midweek, this had been coming. 

Courts had seen enough and on came Pawlett - the matchwinner in the reverse fixture - and the infectious Ilmari Niskanen. It was the Finn who, dashing the length of the pitch to win the ball from the rampaging O’Halloran, finally got United going. 

The Herald: Callum Davidson Callum Davidson

That got the crowd onside and heralded a spell of pressure on Clark’s goal. First the keeper had to push away another flying Edwards header before Harkes’ long-ranger struck a ruck of bodies in the box and was eventually hacked away. The St Johnstone lead suddenly looked a slender one and it had Clark’s big paw - this time clawing Pawlett’s header off the line - next to thank. 

As the United waves kept coming and the Saints retreat neared Dens Park, an equaliser seemed inevitable. But this was to be Clark and St Johnstone’s day and a late double save from Pawlett and Nicky Clark on the rebound finally sunk the hosts’ hearts. 

“All credit to Zander Clark for his performance and it gave us an indication for our attacking intent in the second half,” said Courts. "I think there were two or three moments at the end you could see the exasperation on our players' faces because they've made clean contact and made the right decision, but the big man made a few tremendous saves and kept his team in front so he deserves all the credit."